Work in Progress

Okay, so I actually started a painting and I decided I want to do this right. I want some feedback from other people see what others think about it. So please go look at my work, develop an opinion or whatever, and then leave me a message about what you think, good or bad. And I want you to do this first, before you read the rest of my blog which will talk about what I'm trying to do with this piece. Okay? Go! Look! Critique!

Work in Progress - Far

Work in Progress - Closer

Okay? Okay. So yeah... this is my first painting I've done (besides small stuff for work) in over two years. I sketched it out the other night, and started painting about an hour or two ago. All things considered, I'm rather happy with what it looks like so far. But my biggest issue is trying to figure out how finished do I need to make it? I want to be able to start selling pieces, but I find many of my works end up looking unfinished because once I get the main point across, I lose interest in the work. But then again, there are plenty of paintings that look unfinished and that's part of their charm. And really, I think this piece may be one of them.

To start from the beginning, my inspiration for this piece is shit. More to the point, the frustration of not being able to MAKE shit, constipation. I try to convey this idea by show an artist (myself) trying to paint a portrait of shit without using brown. The irony of this is I can make brown using the colors used (red+yellow+blue=brown) but it just doesn't seem to be working. The colors aren't blending, or being blended. It symbolizes my frustration with painting in general. I have all the tools and skills to paint, so why am I having such a hard time? It also is a metaphor in the sense that I consider most art bullshit anyways. So I'm striving to create shit? Why? I just do, I have to. Just like I have to expel waste to keep my body healthy, I feel the need to create art to keep my mind sane.

I'm also still trying to come up with a title. Some ideas are "Constipation", "Making Brown", "How do I make Brown?", "What makes Brown?", or just plain "Shit" I'd love to hear thoughts on this as well, or if anyone can come up with some better titles.